Voters in Novi, Michigan, and across the state get their first look this week at head-to-head debates in the races for governor and the open U.S. Senate seat, with less than a month to go before the Nov. 3 election.
Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican U.S. Rep. John James meet Tuesday, Oct. 6, in a Grand Rapids television studio for their first gubernatorial debate. Two days later, on Thursday, Oct. 8, Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed will face off for the U.S. Senate in the same studio.
Also on Oct. 8, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini will debate in the race for secretary of state at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy in Ann Arbor.
Benson said last week that she feels well prepared and plans to lay out her vision for the state, while James said he intends to focus on what he described as failures of Democratic leadership in Lansing.
A University of Michigan debate program director said holding the forums about a month before Election Day matters because more voters are tuning in and early voting has not yet begun. He called the Senate debate the most critical of the week, given tight recent polling and the chance to sway undecided voters.
Some voters have already cast ballots. As of Monday, Oct. 5, the secretary of state’s office counted 125,635 Michiganders who had already voted, or roughly 1.7% of active registered voters. Absentee ballots began going out by mail on Sept. 24.
